Fastpitch Ends Season at 17-23

Inaugural year rounds out as solid success

Maria Leidner | Offensive Player of the Year

The DCTC Blue Knights fastpitch softball team ended its season on losing note, falling to the St. Olaf College varsity 1–6, but Head Coach Aaron Vail is pleased with the way his players performed and improved over the course of their first year together. The team finished with a respectable 17–23 record against some tough and seasoned opposition.

“I couldn’t be more proud of what our first-year program was able to accomplish this spring,” Vail said. “More than any of the numbers and personal achievements, our young women came together as a unit. They battled opponents with more experience and, in many cases, higher skill levels. They competed as a team and succeeded. By any definition of success, this season was just that, a success.”

Blue Knights Team Highlights

Won first game of the season vs. Carleton College, March 1, 2010, by a score of 8–7

Went 4–1 in the Yellowjacket Classic in Rochester, Minn., including:

7–6 come from behind win over JUCO DII Ellsworth Community College after being down 6–0 in 7th inning

8–3 victory over #6 ranked Central Lakes Community College

Two other wins over MCAC schools—Vermillion Community College and Anoka-Ramsey Community College

Went 3–5 at Tucson Invitational during spring break trip to Arizona, including:

6–3 record against all opponents from the MCAC this season (Central Lakes, RCTC, Riverland, Anoka-Ramsey, Minnesota West and Vermillion)

Individual Player Highlights

Pitching

Tara Kimberly | Sophomore | Co-captain

Tara Kimberly

“I chose coaching as my profession to work with kids like Tara Kimberly,” said Vail. “She is a gamer; she is tenacious. Through all her on-field accomplishments, she stood out as a 4.0 student in Biology and Secondary Education while also serving on DCTC Student Senate. She will do wonderful things at UW-Stout next year and we will thoroughly miss her leadership and her ‘fox-trot.’”

Led nation in innings pitched as of May 10, 2010, with 251

Threw every pitch for DCTC this year

40 games

40 complete games

3 shutouts

206 strikeouts vs. 66 walks

17–23 record

Hitting

Maria Leidner | Freshman SS | Co-Captain

Maria Leidner

“Maria Leidner is the best athlete I have coached in six years at the collegiate level,” said Coach Vail, “and I’ve previously coached six NCAA All-Americans. She makes the players around her better. She demands nothing less than her own personal best and the best of her teammates and coaches. She is our Offensive Player of the Year and a team captain. I look forward to having her back to anchor our infield in 2011.”

Nominated as an NFCA All-American, Maria Leidner led the team in the following categories:

Batting Average — .444

At-bats — 126

Runs — 26

Hits — 56

Doubles — 13

Total Bases — 74

Slugging % — .587

On Base % — .478

Games Started —40

Rachel Sydow | Freshman CF/LF

Rachel Sydow

Started 36 games in left and center field

Led team in hit by pitches ﻿— 3

Second on team in the following categories:

Batting Average — .355

Doubles — 9

RBIs — 20

Slugging % — .505

On Base % — .419

Sacrifice Bunts — 2

Michelle Hinz | Freshman 1B/3B

Michelle Hinz

Started 38 of 39 games

Played 1B, 3B, DP & C

Led team in RBIs — 22

Tied for 1st in home runs — 3

2nd on team in hits with 36 and total bases with 53

Batting Average — .330

Ashlee Hunt | Freshman C/1B | Co-Captain

Ashlee Hunt | Defensive Player of the Year

“Our Defensive Player of the Year is Ashlee Hunt,” said Vail. “Ashlee started all but one game behind the plate for us and thoroughly shut down the running games of our opponents. As the only catcher we saw all season throwing from her knees, she threw out nearly 40 percent of attempted runners. As one umpire said to me, ‘She is the third-best catcher I’ve worked behind this year, including Division I, II, and III NCAA.’ Ashlee will help a staff of all newcomers come in and be very successful from the start next season.”

Started 39 of 40 games at C and 1B

Led team in fielding % with .974, making only six errors in 222 chances

Tied for the lead in home runs with three while hitting .299 on the season

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